The Photographic Eyeby Sibley O’Brien

Critical vs. Creative

Critiquing

To critique a photograph look at its:

QUALITY

Focus

Colors

Contrast

Composition

COMPOSTION

Framing: what’s in or out of the frame?

What is the eye drawn to?

EMOTIONAL APPEAL

Can the viewer connect with the photograph?

Does it evoke emotion? Or not?

Does it tell a story?

Other Elements:

EXPOSURE: is the image over/underexposed?

FOCUS: is the image clear or blurry? Is this intentional?

COMPOSTION: are there elements in the frame that take away from the image?

STORY TELLING ABILITY: does the image act like a small part of a larger story?

EMOTIONAL IMPACT: does the image evoke emotions from the viewer? Are they positive or negative?

EXAMPLES

Critique:

o The subject is not in the center of the frame, but since he is only slightly off-center, I don’t know if this was intentional or not.

o I don’t like the way that his head is cropped out of the frame because it puts my focus on that one aspect.

o The image shows that the subject is standing in a casual and confident stance.

Critique

o The lighting in this photo is strong enough that the viewer can clearly see the shadow from the fence, but not so strong that it blurs out the image.

o The image has good value

o The photo doesn’t communicate a story to the viewer

Critique

o The viewer’s eye is automatically drawn to the flower, it gives the image a good focal point

o The colors are clear and bright

o I think the photograph would be more effective if there was more use of depth of field and the leaves in the background were blurred

Sources:

http://www.silberstudios.tv/blog/2014/10/how-to-critique-photographs-a-key-ayp-club-feature/

http://www.photocritique.net/g/s?0cKeFn

http://www.academia.edu/6975439/The_Photographttp://www.photocritique.net/g/s?0cLIGnhic_Eye